Three Little Words
by misscam
Summary: It's just three little words, in the end. 'I'm pregnant, Charming.' [Snow/Charming, Emma & Charming bonding, Henry, Neal, Regina, Gold, Belle]


Three Little Words  
by misscam

Disclaimer: Not my characters, just my words.

Author's Note: Set some undetermined time into the future. Spoilers up to 2x14. Thanks very much to Angie for beta.

II

It's three little words. It's just three little words and yet Charming can only stare, trying to wrap his brain around the enormity of three little words that are about to change his world drastically. Again.

"I'm pregnant, Charming," Snow says again, holding up the test. She bites her lower lip a little, looking at him and he reaches out a hand to rub her arm without even thinking.

"You're sure?"

"This is the third test."

"Oh," he breathes, watching the stick still clutched in her hand. She's pregnant. They're _pregnant_. "How?"

She looks at him a little incredulously. "Charming, you practically ravish me every night, are you really asking me how?"

"At least half the time it's you ravishing me," he corrects without thinking and she tilts her head in that way he always finds so endearing. "I mean, I thought we were taking precautions."

"I was," she agrees, looking increasingly anxious. "But with all the things going on lately I guess I forgot a few days."

He just nods, still trying to form a coherent thought and holding off the onslaught of emotions. Pregnant. She's pregnant. Again, but no looming threat this time. No pregnancy only to never really have a child at all, just five minutes and then an adult daughter. No 28 years apart. No. This time, they can really raise a child.

"David?" she asks hesitantly, and he can see she's barely holding it together herself, conflicting emotions all over her face.

"We're having _a child_," he says in awe, pressing his forehead against hers, clutching her arms.

"We are," she agrees, breathing heavily. "David, what about Emma? I don't know how she'll take this."

"No," he says firmly, moving his hands to clasp hers still clutching the pregnancy test and she looks up at him with such guilt on her face it breaks his heart. "You are not going to worry about her reaction right now. We can do all that later. Right now... Snow, we're having _a child_."

Finally she smiles, hesitantly at first, then growing as he kisses her face reverently, her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, her cheek and finally lingering on her lips, trying to will all his love into the gesture.

He knows this won't be easy, that Emma can react in a number of ways, that Snow will feel a little guilty, that he will, that this will complicate their already complicated family even more, that this can never be a replacement for what they've lost with Emma but that she may see it that way, that despite being a father he's never gotten to be a parent and that terrifies him.

But right now, in this moment, he just wants his wife to be happy. Everything else can wait. Will wait.

"I love you," she mouths into the kiss, and he pulls back a little to see her regard him with such love he feels a little breathless. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

"What am I doing?" he says innocently.

"You're trying to make it sound so easy when it's not."

"No," he says gently, freeing his hands from hers to push up her sweater a little, putting his palms to the skin of her stomach. "I am trying to make it sound like a good thing because it is, no matter how complicated it also is."

Some of the tension in her shoulders seems to be gone now and she manages a faint smile which turns into a bigger one as he smiles back and even a laugh as he impulsively sweeps her up and swings her around, a mirror of what he did when she told him the first time back in the Enchanted Forest. (He will do no less for this one, and maybe he'll even finally get to do more. He will.)

"We're going to have a child," she murmurs as he finally lowers her to her feet again, and he nods because finally, finally he can detect a sense of joy in her voice too.

They're going to have a child. Snow and Charming and a baby again. That is going to be a good thing, has to be a good thing. He has to believe that.

II

It is more than a little awkward to get your wife's pregnancy confirmed by the man she once had a one-night stand with and is now dating her werewolf best friend, but Charming bites his tongue and smiles politely while they all sit in a little room and wait for the results.

Snow's hand is still clasped in his as it has been since they left home that morning, clinging to it as if he is an anchor and she may be adrift otherwise. He knows the feeling. He knows it far too well, especially when Whale lifts his gaze to them both.

"Congratulations," he says simply and Snow exhales as David draws a sharp breath.

Makes it official then.

Help.

II

Snow insists it will be her to tell Emma, and it's hard to protest that when his daughter is still closer to Snow than to him. It still leaves him a little fidgety, this waiting and doing nothing while Snow tries to find the perfect time.

In the end there is no such thing.

It's morning and Snow is in the bathroom again being sick. He sits uselessly on a kitchen chair, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world for being unable to keep his hands off his wife and doing this to her.

He doesn't hear Emma's steps on the stairs until suddenly she is sitting next to him, her face carefully arranged into something like a mask as he looks at her in surprise.

"How far along is she?" she asks simply and he gapes a little at her. "David, this is the third morning of this in a row and that's not counting last week. I am not blind, or in this case, deaf."

"Eight weeks," he finally manages. She nods slowly, taking it in. "She is planning on telling you. She just wants to make it the right time."

Emma exhales at that and very hesitantly he lifts a hand, putting it on hers when she makes no moves to jerk away.

"How do you feel about this?"

"I don't know," she finally says carefully, clearly weighing her words.

"We didn't plan it," he offers, wondering if that would make any difference.

She nods a little, trying a smile that is more a grimace. "I hope this kid will never be a part of someone's plan."

"Emma..."

"It's fine," she cuts in, but of course it isn't, not for any of them. He doesn't argue it though, merely squeezes her hand a little.

"I am happy for you too," she offers after a moment, the expression on her face softening somewhat. "I am. The rest I will deal with."

"Emma, you don't have to put up a front for your mother or me."

"I'll make some breakfast," she says firmly, avoiding a reply, pushing herself up from the chair and letting go of his hand. "Dry toast worked for me when I was pregnant with Henry. Maybe Mary Margaret is the same."

"Yeah," he says, getting up as well. "I used to feed her dry bread back in our land when she was pregnant with you. It was the only thing she could keep down."

"Oh," Emma says faintly, then straightens a little. "Toast it is then."

II

Emma may not be blind, but neither is her mother.

He stays in the kitchen while Emma and Snow sit on Snow's bed and his wife with many apologies and trailing off at least once finally gets to the point and announces she is pregnant.

Emma simply congratulates her, smiling and offering a hug, but he can see Snow's expression while leaning against her daughter's shoulder and the pain on it makes him want to embrace her and never let go.

Instead he balls his hands into fists and tries an insincere smile; he's as bad at it as his daughter, he thinks.

II

Emma leaves telling Henry about the baby to him, maybe as a sort of apology or maybe as a way of avoiding it herself, he isn't sure. All he knows is that when he takes the boy aside and carefully explains that Snow is having a baby, Henry's mounting excitement about it all is hard not to find catching, planning to be the bigger brother to this coming uncle or aunt (it still gives David a slight headache to consider that, so he leaves it be).

"I can teach him..."

"Or her," David cuts in, remembering his mistake last time.

"Or her to sword-fight, can't I, Gramps?" Henry asks without missing a beat, eyes beaming. "I mean, after you and Neal finish teaching me. We're still not up to the dragon."

"You're not fighting a dragon," Emma cuts in from across the room.

"It's practically a family tradition!" Henry objects, looking a little deflated. "Gramps fought one, you fought one..."

"I didn't fight one," Snow breaks in.

"I'm sure you could have," Henry offers hopefully.

"She could have," Charming says firmly, and Snow shoots him a warm gaze across the room. "Look, Henry. Certain things are worth fighting for. That doesn't mean fighting in itself is a good thing. You shouldn't always be eager to seek it out. Okay?"

"Okay," Henry agrees, his eyes seeking out Snow. "Can I tell dad about this? We're meeting at Granny's."

"Of course," Snow offers softly after a moment. "But no one else yet, please, Henry."

Henry agrees with that easily enough before he and Emma head out, leaving Snow and Charming alone in the apartment. The moment the door closes, she's already heading for him as he is for her, meeting halfway in an embrace.

She sighs a little as she digs her fingers into the cloth of his sweater and he moves his hands up and down her back, feeling some of the tension in her body ease a little.

"She's shutting us out again," Snow finally says. "You saw her."

"I saw," he agrees. "I think she needs a little time. The last few years she's learned that her parents are Snow White and Prince Charming, that her son was adopted by the Evil Queen, that she is destined to break a curse, that dragons exist, that the father of her son is Rumpelstiltskin's son... And now she'll have a brother or sister several decades younger than her."

Snow makes a noise that may be a slight laugh. "When you put it like that..."

"I know," he agrees, smiling faintly. "We may just have the strangest family in all the known lands. But we'll make it work."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know you," he says fondly, touching her cheek. "And because I know Emma. She's your daughter."

"Charming," Snow says with agonizing tenderness, "haven't you seen by now she's equally as much _your_ daughter?"

II

Their daughter isn't beyond drinking, as it turns out, but then, neither was he the first time he learned Snow was pregnant. Late at night someone at the Rabbit Hole calls – luckily not waking a sleeping Snow, Henry staying over at Neal's – alerting Charming to the fact that Emma is there nursing drinks and probably not fit to drive home.

It doesn't take him very long to sneak out, take the truck and head over, only to walk in and find an Emma that looks more sad than outright drunk.

As he slides down on the seat next to her, she doesn't look too surprised to see him though, just slides her car keys over to him without comment.

"Henry forgot to say goodbye to me today," she says suddenly. "I know he didn't mean anything by it and I'll see him tomorrow, but..."

"It hurt," he infers.

"I'm a little jealous of Neal," she goes on. "That sounds horrible, Henry is so excited to have his father in his life."

"I'm a little jealous too," he offers, and Emma looks up at him in surprise. "I was his only grandfather. Now he has another and a father. I feel..."

"Less important," she finishes and he nods. "You're good with him, you know. He really looks up to you."

"Thanks," he says lightly, trying not to let it show how much the words mean to him.

"I'm jealous of this baby too," she says in a breath, then seems to consider her words. "That sounds horrible too."

He curses 28 years and a curse in his head, drawing a slow breath and trying to find the words. "Emma, all I ever wanted was the best for you. Of course I wish I could have raised you. Of course Snow wishes it too. Don't you think this kills us a little too? A new baby doesn't make up for what we lost with you. Nothing will make up for that."

She considers this for a moment. "Thanks for saying that."

"Let me drive you home," he offers, and she nods faintly, leaning against him slightly as they start heading out. He doesn't comment on it, merely slides an arm around her and wishes he could still believe fathers could fix everything. (He lost that faith when his own father died, and for all he swore it would be different for his own child, it didn't turn out to be.)

II

As she always does, Snow curls up against him as he moves into bed, instinct more than awareness he thinks, but he still puts his arms around her and draws her even closer. She makes a soft noise, settling against him as he puts his hand on her stomach.

He did this when she was pregnant with Emma too, he remembers, wanting to feel close to the life growing in there. Their child. Their child to whom he wanted to give the world and ended up having to give up to another world.

This child he can only offer Storybrooke (for now at least), but he can love just as much and be there this time.

"I love you," he whispers softly; to the child and Snow both, and to Emma sleeping upstairs.

II

At least the pregnancy part, that part he's done before. He knows the morning sickness will pass so he doesn't have to panic over it (but will still worry, as he always will with Snow), he knows the symptoms Snow had last time so he'll feel less ambushed by them, but this is a new world too so he goes out and gets some pregnancy books as well.

Luckily Snow doesn't find their hiding spot. Henry does, and takes the opportunity to do a little research that he regales them all with over family dinner at Gold's. While Neal chokes on his food, Emma tries in vain to derail, Belle takes an interest, Gold looks like he's found something golden again while Regina looks personally offended and Snow, Snow gives him a very pointed look across the room.

"I gather congratulations are in order," Gold finally breaks in as Henry gets to the actual birth. "Well done, dearies. Always knew you had it in you. Again."

"Congratulations," Belle says as well, smiling sweetly.

"Yes, yes," Regina says, turning to Henry. "Perhaps we'll leave those fascinating pregnancy facts for another time. How is school going?"

II

He is half expecting Snow to yell at him the moment they walk through the door, but instead both Snow and Emma look at him and break into hysterical laughter.

They lean on each other, laughing until he has to join in as much from the sight of mother and daughter like this as anything else.

"I am so glad Regina has Henry tonight," Emma manages, drawing an almost shuddering breath. "I'm sure she's very interested in '10 ways to ease contractions'."

"You know Henry and books," Snow manages. "Charming?"

"Mmm?" he says, not wanting to break the moment.

"Please learn to hide your books better."

With that, both women break into laughter again and he just smiles, grinning madly until he starts laughing again too.

II

"Should we make a nursery?" Snow whispers to him as he draws circles on her skin in the faint light. "I keep thinking we should start soon, but I don't have the heart for it."

"I know," he says softly, thinking of their old nursery, the one Snow has told him is in ruins, much like all their plans for Emma back then. "We can wait."

She puts her hands on his hands on her stomach, stilling them for a moment as she leans forward and kisses him. He kisses her back carefully, feeling her lips tug at his impatiently.

"I'm not made of glass," she whispers as she pulls back.

"What?"

"You've been touching me as if I'm made of glass these last few weeks."

"I'm sorry."

"You did it last time too."

"I know," he admits. "It's just... You're having _a baby_."

"It's not due for months yet," she says calmly. "Do you remember how this went last time too, Charming?"

"You tied me up in bed and had your way with me," he says fondly, moving his hands to her side.

"Do I have to do that again?" she asks, sounding less stern now as he lowers his head to rub his nose against hers.

"No," he promises, and kisses her again, and again, and again; he gets no complaints this time and maybe even a few good reviews from the way she moans his name.

II

Ruby seems to take to the opportunity of being the honorary aunt she never got to be with Emma and he conspires with her to keep Snow's mind on the happier aspects of another child as the pregnancy starts to become obvious to all, but that can only work for so long, he knows.

Sure enough, one day he walks into an argument and a very unhappy-looking wife.

"You're planning on moving?!" Snow exclaims as he enters, but it's not directed at him.

"Yes," Emma says firmly. "You'll need space for the baby."

"We're not replacing you!"

"I know that!"

"Do you?" Snow asks, her voice now just sad. "I can't tell with you. You're shutting me out again."

"You don't need my crap right now," Emma says, sounding equally sad.

"Emma, we're your parents. You don't have to protect us," he breaks in, making both of them look at him.

"I do!" she slams back, eyes wide. "I love you, I have to..."

They all freeze as the words register, Snow's face almost crumpling for a moment. That's the first time, he knows. That's the first time Emma has said that to either of them. Just three little words, and yet. Yet.

"Emma," Snow offers softly, but Emma simply shakes her head and stalks out of there. They both look after her until her footsteps have completely faded.

Snow closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them again as he walks towards her. Her jaw sets a little and he can just tell that Snow, Snow isn't about to give this one up.

"She'll come back," he says, putting down the groceries as he eases an arm around her.

"I don't want her to move," Snow says, looking up at him. "I know we talked about us moving some time ago, but I don't want her to move. Not now, not when there is everything with Henry too."

"I know," he says softly into her hair. "That's why I've looked into buying the place next door. The dwarfs will help us knock out some walls, make it one large place for all of us and baby too. What do you think?"

"I think I love you," she offers; he tilts his head down and kisses her to show her it's quite mutual.

II

It is dark when Emma returns, looking slightly awkward and carrying a box. Neither of them says anything as she carefully sets it on the table and faces them.

"I wish I could be happier for you," she says, holding up a hand when Snow wants to interrupt. "No, listen. I know you didn't want to give me up, I know it killed you to do it, almost literally. I know. But this baby is going to have you two and I didn't and that sucks a little."

Charming knows he is crying, feeling Snow move into his arms as he furiously tries to blink away the tears.

"That sucks a lot," he manages, his voice cracking a little.

Emma nods at that, moving a hand to the box. "I do love you both. That's why I want this for you as well. That's why I don't hate you over this even though it would have been easier. I just wish I could be happier for you. Maybe I'll learn to in time."

"Emma," Snow says, drawing a shuddering breath. "We love you too. You don't..."

"I got you this," Emma says, and Snow goes very still in his arms as he too lifts his gaze to the object Emma is now lifting up from the box. "I thought maybe you could use it for this one since you didn't get the chance with me."

The unicorn mobile.

"How did you...?" Snow asks breathlessly.

"Ruby, Neal and then Gold," Emma replies. "It is the one, isn't it?"

"Yeah," David manages, reaching out to touch it. "But it's yours. We're not using this for the baby. We'll find something else. This one, this one can go in your room in the very large apartment we're going to have here."

"It's yours," Snow agrees, stepping out of his arms and embracing Emma. After a moment he carefully eases it from Emma's grasp and onto the table before embracing his wife and daughter both – and the baby on the way.

"What's your baby going to be?" Emma whispers, her voice a little thick as well. "Am I going to have a brother or a sister?"

"It's going to be a surprise this time," Snow says softly, linking hands with him across their daughter's back. "A true one this time."

II

_Epilogue_

II

There is no dark curse. There is no life or death sword fight. And yet Charming manages to be just as nervous during this birth as the previous one, only this time he isn't the only one.

There is Emma just as nervous, while Henry is strangely calm and narrates the stages of the birth from memory.

It is a son. Their son, Emma's brother and Henry's uncle and sorts of other complicated family relations that don't matter because they will all love this child.

Emma too, he knows from the moment she is allowed to hold the baby and looks at him with such bright, bright eyes and soft yet sad smile. Love can overcome a lot. He's always believed that. He's not about to stop now.

The first five minutes he just holds his breath, but they pass, and they're all still there, his family and him. They're all still there.

So he takes them home. The apartment has become much larger after they bought the place next door and added the space to theirs. An extra bathroom. A proper bedroom for him and Snow (with doors that lock). A room for Henry when he stays there. A nursery.

The first night he wakes from the crying from the baby monitor he feels something like a thrill at it even if he's already exhausted and could do with the sleep. Instead he eases out of bed, padding bare-foot into the nursery.

The baby is crying in the crib. Carefully, he picks it up, feeling the weight of it in his arms familiar and yet so long ago.

"Hey," he offers softly as the baby seems to look at him. "Can't sleep?"

He sings. The words come to him without thinking, words his mothers would sing to him as he tried to sleep, a lullaby for a shepherd and now a shepherd's son. He sings, rocking the baby softly, feeling this tiny life in his arms.

The crying stops. He looks up to see Snow watch him from the doorway with teary eyes, Emma holding her in a half embrace and Henry stands next to them both.

"See. He knows his father," Snow says with a thick voice.

Very carefully, the baby tries to put a hand around his fingers. His heart seems to stop, the world stands still and he can hardly breathe. Then he finds his voice.

"Yeah," he says softly, meeting Snow's gaze and Emma's and Henry's and then finally looking down at the child again, feeling the world shift a little. "That's right. I'm your father."

Just three little word, in the end – and yet...

FIN


End file.
